Welcome to FFJC’s digital library of resources related to fines and fees, also known as the Clearinghouse. Our repository of research and tools is curated and summarized by our Policy and Research team and includes key fines and fees research, litigation, legislation, policy analysis and guidance, and case studies. Use the search features below to find the information you need to drive reform.
E.g., ‘impacts of fines and fees’
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Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
This report shares the results of a national survey of over 5,600 adults to see how court-imposed fines and fees affect people across the country.
Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
Taxation by Citation: A 50-State Data and Policy Report on Local Government Fines and Forfeitures
Taxation by Citation: A 50-State Data and Policy Report on Local Government Fines and Forfeitures
Fiscal incentives can create conflicts of interest when cities, police departments and court systems become reliant on fine and forfeitures to fund their basic operations. This rep…
What States and Local Government Can Do To Support Immigrants’ Financial Stability
What States and Local Government Can Do To Support Immigrants’ Financial Stability
Ongoing aggressive immigration enforcement has created financial hardships for immigrant communities. The National Consumer Law Center has compiled a list of ways states, counties,…
The Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
The Cost We No Longer Pay: How Fines and Fees Reform Delivered Billions in Relief for Families
People living paycheck-to-paycheck and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by criminal justice fines and fees. The consequences for being unable to afford to pay t…
Safe Roads for All: Evidence-Based Strategies for Keeping Our Roadways Safe
Safe Roads for All: Evidence-Based Strategies for Keeping Our Roadways Safe
Each year, millions of people are trapped in an inescapable cycle of debt as ticketing practices prioritize profits over safety. This white paper, a collaboration between the ACLU…
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missing in Actions: How Low Appearance Rates Impact Courts
Missed appearances can have negative consequences for court users, as well as courts themselves. This report identifies four main ways missed court appearances impact court operati…
Winnable Criminal Justice Reforms 2026
Winnable Criminal Justice Reforms 2026
The Prison Policy Initiative released a list of promising policy reforms across several touchpoints in the criminal legal system: sentencing, incarceration, and release. The report…
Community Service Alternatives: A Free Resource List for Courts and Other Justice System Stakeholders
Community Service Alternatives: A Free Resource List for Courts and Other Justice System Stakeholders
When an individual does not have the ability to pay fines or fees, community service can be an appropriate alternative to financial sanctions. While typically available in most jur…
Ability to Pay and the Affordability of Fines and Fees
Ability to Pay and the Affordability of Fines and Fees
Using data from the Urban Institute’s 2024 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, the Tax Policy Center produced a factsheet examining the prevalence of ability to pay inquiries and af…
Guide to New Low Rates and Consumer Protections for Incarcerated People’s Communications Services
Guide to New Low Rates and Consumer Protections for Incarcerated People’s Communications Services
Effective January 1, 2025, the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act expands and clarifies the scope of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) autho…
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
Fact Sheet: Unpacking The Latest Fines and Fees Trends Across Georgia
In Georgia, local governments that rely heavily on fines and fees end up criminalizing residents who struggle to pay, with the burden falling hardest on communities with high pover…